


Strategy

by Eleanorose123



Series: Shrimpshipping Week Summer 2018 [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Bakura flirting is veeeery awkward, Flirting, M/M, Partnership, Rejection, Uneasy Allies, villain AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-06-10 21:46:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15300696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eleanorose123/pseuds/Eleanorose123
Summary: Bakura tries to convince Haga to lose the dead weight and stick with him and him alone. Haga has his own plans in mind.Day 3 entry for Shrimpshipweek Summer 2018: Villain AU.





	Strategy

**Author's Note:**

> The Villain AU prompt is specifically for taking Haga and Ryuzaki and putting them in a more prominent villainous role in the series. So in this AU, not only are the Shrimps around the same age as the main cast (16/17), they're also shared guardians of the Millennium Scales.
> 
> This is set early season 2, when Battle City was announced.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t trust Bakura, it was just that there wasn’t a single aspect of Bakura that was _worth_ trusting.

Haga thought this as he watched the spirit in question sharpen a blade. He wasn’t quite certain what the purpose of it was, but in the month he came to know Bakura, Haga figured it was best not to question such things. Instead he let his thoughts wander to things like “what was taking Ryuzaki so long to meet up with them” and “I’m going to give him an earful for leaving me with this freak”.

“Your partner seems unreliable.” Bakura’s voice cut through the silence of the warehouse like the knife he sharpened. “Making us wait like this…is there really a point?”

“Ryuzaki will be here. You’re the one who wanted information on the Ghouls, and he’s the one getting it.” Haga glared at him. “Your soul’s been around for thousands of years. It can wait a while longer.”

“Tch. You speak about patience but I know you’re just as tired as I am here.” Twirling the knife, Bakura tucked it away in his host’s jacket pocket. Hopefully Ryou wouldn’t notice the weapon and do away with his hard work. “It’s clear which of you two is the more capable one.”

“Choose your next words carefully, you walking sin.” Haga growled. “Unless you want to lose your connection to the Millennium Scales.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t _dream_ of it.” Bakura laughed. “But you know my point is true. Isn’t that why _you_ carry the scales in the first place? I can feel its presence in your satchel.”

Instinctively, Haga clutched the bag in question, shifting it away from the other. Pegasus had taken Haga and Ryuzaki in as protégés years ago and Shadi entrusted them with the Millennium Scales shortly after. It was a duty Haga took seriously, if only to keep such power away from threats like Bakura.

Not that he had any intention to give the scales to the Pharaoh, however. The power the scales gave him was too enticing to pass off to some lost soul with no memories.

Maybe that’s why the insect duelist agreed to working with Bakura back in Duelist Kingdom. The prospect of retrieving the Millennium items as a team was too enticing to pass up. Sure, betraying Pegasus, the man who saw great potential in Haga and Ryuzaki, was difficult, but worth it in the end run. The creator of Duel Monsters was getting too soft for his liking anyway. The pharaoh seemed to have that effect on people.

Still, Ryuzaki was definitely right about what he told Haga back on the island. About keeping a wary eye on Bakura. He could just as easily stab the two in the back for the scales himself if things came down to it, so it was up to them to beat him to it.

“I carry them because I carry them. There’s no difference if I hold them or Ryuzaki does. You’re not getting your hands on them until the right time comes.”

“A day hopefully in the next millennia if that _idiot_ could hurry up.” Bakura noted, laughing wickedly. He respected Haga’s willpower, but he knew a weak link when he saw it. All things considered, everything would run far smoother if less people were on his team… “Why don’t we leave him?”

“Excuse me?” Haga raised a brow at that. “You want to leave behind one of the Millennium items’ owners?”

“That’s just it! _One_ of the owners.” The spirit walked towards the other, staring at him with intense eyes. “The scales only need _one_ holder. Shadi probably only told you that you both needed to guard them out of convenience. Two guardians were available, so two the scales had. But things have changed since then! You don’t obey Shadi, you don’t obey Pegasus! You are your only master now!”

“Get to the point already.” Haga sneered, trying to keep a fair distance from the approaching threat. “Before I leave out of boredom to your prattle.”

“It’s clear what I’m getting it, Haga. Ditch the dead weight that’s holding you back from your destiny.” Bakura grabbed the other’s shirt and pulled him in _very_ close. “Stick with me and _only_ me and we’re rule everything.”

Haga felt frozen in place from the far too close for comfort situation he found himself in. His hand was twitching near the satchel’s clasp, far too keen on taking out the scales and repelling the threat in front of him far away. But instead, Haga smirked.

“You want me to abandon Ryuzaki, huh?”

“It’s only logical.” Bakura practically purred. “Isn’t this the best strategy?”

“No. _This is_.”

Without a moment’s notice, a vibrant ray of light formed between the two teens, pushing each other backwards and crashing down to the floor. Bakura coughed as he felt the air leave his lungs for a moment, and stared down at his still glowing Millennium Ring. Looking to the other side of the warehouse, he watched Haga sit up, holding up the Millennium Scales with a smug look.

“I made my strategy long before I met _you_.” Haga said while standing up, the scales held in front of him as defense. “I chose to stay with Ryuzaki for my _own_ reasons, and I am not abandoning my own plans for that of a filthy spirit like you.”

“What possible use could a fool like that have for someone like you?!” Bakura yelled. “You think he’ll be able to bring you glory and victory like I can?”

Haga sighed heavily, and the glow from the scales faded as he held it downwards. “It’s clear that our partnership has reached its end. I have no more use for you like this.” Putting the scales away in the satchel, Haga turned to leave before glancing back to the spirit. “For now we’ll split ways, and find the Millennium Items on our own. We’ll see who finds victory first.”

“Your mistake will cost you your life! I’ll ensure it!” Bakura screamed as he watched the former ally wave him off and exit the warehouse. He slammed a fist to the floor, already starting to plot his revenge for the betrayal. “You miserable bug…”

As Haga left the warehouse, and looked towards the night sky, he felt a cold chill pass through him. In his mind, he knew this defiance would cost him. That having Bakura as an enemy would no doubt bring about a whole new level of trouble. But in his heart…

“Oi! Haga! Sorry I took so long!”

Snapped out from his thoughts, Haga watched as Ryuzaki ran towards him from the other side of the pier, sweat dripping from the other’s face as he stopped to catch his breath. It was clear he’d been running for quite some time. Haga found himself smiling and brushed away some hair off of the other’s face.

“What took you? You said you’d meet us here an hour ago.” Haga lightly whacked his head. “You left me with that freak of nature, you jerk.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” Ryuzaki apologized. “But when I was gathering info on the Ghouls, I got caught up in something. You remember the invite we got from that Kaiba guy?”

Haga nodded. “The one we proceeded to ignore without reading, yes.”

“Apparently it was for some big tournament! Something called Battle City. Tons of strong duelists are going to be in the city and,” Ryuzaki leaned in close, a dark grin on his face. “I bet you _anything_ that those Ghouls are in on it. We could get our hands on the Millennium Rod their master is said to have, and _demolish_ anyone who tries to stop us.”

“…and the fact you get to duel again has absolutely nothing to do with this plan?” Haga smirked as the other laughed nervously. Definitely hit that nail on the head. “A dueling tournament huh…? Sounds promising.”

“We didn’t get to duel outside of being Player Killers on the island.” Ryuzaki pouted a bit at that memory. “Our jerky boss wouldn’t let us duel much since it wouldn’t have been fair. But now he can’t stop us!”

“It’d be hard for him to try since Bakura put him in the hospital.” Haga grimaced a bit, and looked back towards the warehouse. “Speaking of which; walk with me. I want to go back to the hotel now.”

“Huh?” Ryuzaki looked at the warehouse and back to Haga. “Wasn’t I supposed to brief you and that freak about the Ghouls? I ran all this way!”

“Plan’s changed. We’re not working with Bakura anymore. There was…a conflict of interest.”

Before Ryuzaki had a chance to ask, Haga grabbed his arm and pulled him closer, holding him for a moment. Ryuzaki raised a brow at the sudden affection, but accepted it gladly, holding his partner’s hand as they took to walking along the pier side. Ryuzaki had many concerns as to what went down in the time they were apart, but chose to just accept the situation at hand and just talked to Haga about what he learned about the Ghouls,  what he gathered from the tournament announcement and about how _excited_ he was that the great Insector Haga and Dinosaur Ryuzaki could come back into the dueling world after all this time working in Pegasus’ shadow.

Haga smiled as he listened. His mind might’ve screamed at him not have made Bakura their enemy, but his heart was just happy that he chose the person he loved over a person who offered him victory. Power and conquest wouldn’t have been the same if Ryuzaki wasn’t there with him.

Happiness was a valid strategy after all.


End file.
